Non-refillable bottle



Sept. 18, G W HUNN NON-REFILLABLE BOTTLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 6, 1953 INVENTOR 1 f I I 6907576 Zflflzwrz,

ATTORNEYS G. W. HUNN NON-REFILLABLE BOTTLE Sept. 18, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Flled NOV. 6, 1953 lllllllllll .INVENTOR. Cieorye Zfl/ /zmiz,

NUN-JREFILLABLE BOTTLE George W. Hunn, Duluth, Minn.

Application November 6, 1953, Serial No. 390,649

3 Claims. (Cl. 215--26) This invention relates to bottle closures, and more particularly to a stopper for securement in the neck of a bottle to render the bottle non-refillable.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved stopper device which may be secured inside the neck of a bottle and which is arranged so that the bottle may be emptied but said bottle cannot be refilled, the improved stopper device being simple in construction, involving relatively few parts, and being substantially tamper-proof.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved stopper device which may be secured inside the neck of a bottle to render the bottle non-refillable, the stopper device involving inexpensive components, being compact in size, being reliable in operation, and being provided with means for substantially preventing the refilling of the bottle after it has once been emptied.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross sectional view taken through a portion of a neck of a bottle provided with improved stopper means constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an elevational detail view of the apertured annular collar and the tubular guide member for the valve ball employed in the stopper device of Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Figure 5 is a vertical cross sectional view similar to Figure l, the bottle being shown in an inverted position.

Figure 6 is a vertical cross sectional view taken through the neck of a bottle provided with a further modification of the improved stopper device of the present invention.

Figure 7 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, of the apertured annular collar member and tubular guide member employed in the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Figure 9 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 1tl1tl of Figure 8.

States Patent O Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1 to 4, 11 designates the neck of a bottle, such as a liquor bottle, in which a stopper device according to the present invention is secured to render the bottle non-refillable. The stopper device comprises an annular body member 12 which may be of glass, metal or a plastic material and which is secured in any suitable manner to the inside surface of the neck of the bottle 11, the body member 12 being formed at its lower portion with the central aperture 13 defined at the lower end of the conical seat 14 formed in the lower portion of said body member. Below the aperture 13, the body member is formed with the downwardly flaring passage 15 which acts as a funnel when the bottle is inverted to guide the liquid toward the aperture 13.

The interior of the body member 12 is annularly recessed, as shown at 16, whereby the upper portion of the body member comprises the inwardly projecting annular rib 17 defined below the downwardly tapering annular top surface 18 of the body member. Secured on the top surface 18 is the generally conical annular collar 19 having a substantially vertical annular bottom flange 20. Between the flange 20 and the portion of the collar 19 which is secured on the annular flange 18, the collar is formed with the apertures 21 which provide communication between the space at the top of the body member 12 and the space below the annular inwardly projecting rib 1'7.

Secured in the annular periperal flange 20 is the tubular guide member 24 which is thus supported axially in the body member 12 in a position overlying the conical seat 14. A dome-shaped crown or cap member 22 having a convex bottom is secured within the member 24 at the end thereof secured in the flange 20. Disposed on the valve seat 14 is the valve ball 25 which is slidably receivable in the tubular guide member 24 when the bottle is inverted, as shown in Figure 5, whereby liquid may be dispensed from the bottle. The valve ball 25 may be of slightly smaller diameter than the inside diameter of the guide member 24. When the bottle is in its normal upright position, the ball 25 sealingly engages the lower portion of the seat 24 and closes the aperture 13, as shown in Figure 1. As is clearly shown in Figure l, the tubular guide 24 extends a substantial distance into the seat 14, and the bottom rim of the tubular guide member 24 terminates a short distance from the surface of the seat 14, suflicient to provide unobstructed flow of the liquid from the bottle when the bottle is inverted, as shown in Figure 5, but close enough to prevent the valve ball 25 from moving laterally previous to its entry into the tubular guide member when the bottle is inverted.

Rigidly secured on the intermediate portion of the tubular guide member 24 are the annular, outwardly projecting ring or ribs 26 and 26' which are in spaced relation, have top surfaces sloping downwardly, outwardly from the guide member, and have outside diameters such that they extend substantially beneath the upper annular rib 17. Annular lips 27 and 27' are integrally formed on each of the ribs 26 and 26, respectively, and extend upwardly and outwardly from the as sociated rib 26 or 26 toward the upper rib 17 at the side of the ribs 26 and 26 remote from the guide member 24. Another annular rib or ring 29 is formed on the body member 12 between the rib 26 and the seat 14, and projects inwardly beyond the terminal edge of the rig 26'. Hence, it is impossible to engage the valve ball 25 with a wire or similar elongated objected inserted downwardly through one of the apertures 21, thus rendering the stopper device substantially tamper-proof.

The top portion of the tubular guide, adjacent the lower convex end 23 of the cap or crown 22, is provided with a row of apertures 28, spaced circumferentially about the tubular guide 24, to permit free flow of air into and out of the guide member 24 so as to allow free movement of the valve ball 25 through the tubular valve ball guide member 24 when the bottle is inverted to spill the liquid contents thereof. As the bottle is inverted, as shown in Figure 5, some of the liquid will flow into the tubular valve ball guide 24 behind the valve ball 25. However, the convex lower side of the crown 22 will space the center of the ball from the apertures 28 so that the bottle may be entirely emptied of its contents, leaving no liquid to remain in the bottle as the contents thereof nears depletion.

Thus, the bottle may be readily emptied, but refilling of the bottle with an inferior or diluted liquid is substantially prevented since the valve ball 25 rests on the seat 24 and seals the opening 13 when the bottle is in its upright normal position. 7

Referring now to the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, the annular main body is shown at 32 and is generally similar in construction to the annular body member 12 of Figure 1 except that an inwardly projecting annular rib 33 is provided thereon between the outwardly recessed annular cavity portions 34 and 35 formed in the body member 32' below and above the rib 33. The lower cavity portion 34 communicates with the downwardly tapering conical seat 14 and the upper annular recessed'portion 35 communicates through the apertures 21 with the space above the annular collar 18. Secured in the annular flange of the collar 18 is the top end of the tubular guide member 24', and secured in the top end of said tubular guide member 24 is the circular disc member or crown 36 having a lower convexly formed surface 36' so that the crown 36 is similar to crown or cap 22 and functions in the same manner to permit complete emptying of the bottle contents. Secured on the external surface of the tubular guide member 24' are the vertically spaced annular ribs 37 and 38, simlar to ribs 26 and 26, the rib 37 being received between the inwardly projecting annular rib 33 in substantially the same manner as the upper rib 37 is received in the annular space 35 above rib 33. As shown in Figure 6, the external diameters of the ribs 37 and 38 are preferably somewhat greater thanthe internal diameter of the rib 33. Annular rings 37 and 38 are integrally formed on the ribs 37 and 38 respectively, and each ring extends upwardly and outwardly from its associated rib and into the recessed spaces 33 and 34 respectively to define a tortuous passage between the apertures 21 and the valve seat 14, whereby an etfective obstruction is provided to the insertion of a wire or other elongated object through the space between the tubular guide member 24 and the inside wall surface of the body member 32, so that interference with the normal action of the valve ball is prevented. As in the previously described form of the invention, the'valve ball 25 normally engages on-the seat 14 and seals the opening 13. When the bottle is inverted, as shown in Figure 5, the valve ball 25 is removed from the seat 14 and is received in the tubular guide 24, allowing the liquid to be dispensed from the bottle,

As shown in Figure 6, the stopper device is preferably disposed a substantial distance below the rim of the bottle, whereby a conventional dispensing cap 39 may be mounted in the mouth of the neck of the bottle, and whereby sufiicient clearance is provided in the neck of the bottle for the cork portion 40 of the dispensing cap.

While certain specific embodiments of an improved stopper device for bottles have been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placedon the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A bottle stopper for rendering non-refillable a bottle having a neck, comprising: a tubular body member adaptedto be fixedly secured to and within said neck and having one end portion formed with a valve seat; a valve ball engaging against the seat in the upright position of the bottle and shifting off the seat when the bottle is in inverted position; a tubular guide extending longitudinally of and within the body member in concentric relation to the valve seat to receive the ball in the second bottle position, said guide being radially spacedthroughout its length inwardly from the wall of the body member to define an annular flow passage therebetween, said guide having one end spaced longitudinally of the body member from the valve seat to form an inlet for said passage; a collar connected to and extending between the other end portions of the guide and body member respectively across said flow passage, the collar being apertured to provide an outletfor the passage; an abutment Within the guide engaging the ball in said second bottle position, the body member having an inner surface formed intermediate said end portions of the body member with a deep, cireumferentially extending recess opening toward the guide; and a plurality of rings on the guide projecting radially outwardly thereof into the recess a distance greater than the distance between the guide and said inner surface of the body member measured at the sides of the recess, and cooperating with the wall of the recess to impart a tortuous characteristic to the flow passage.

2. A bottle stopper for rendering non-refillable a bottle having a neck, comprising: a tubular body member adapted to be fixedly secured to and within said neck and having one'end portion formed with a valve seat; a valve ball engaging against the seat in the upright position of the bottle and shifting off the seat when the bottle is in inverted position; a tubular guide extending longitudinally of and within the body member in concentric relation to the valve seat to receive the ball in the second bottle position, said guide being radially spaced throughout its length inwardly from the wall of the body member to define an annular flow passage therebetween, said guide having one end spaced longitudinally of the'body member from the valve seat to form an inlet for said passage; a collar connected to and extending between the other end portions of the guide and body member respectively across said flow passage, the collar being apertured to provide an outlet for the passage; an abutment within the guide engaging the ball in said second bottle posithon, the body member having an inner surface formed intermediate said end portions of the body member with a deep, circumferentially extending recess opening toward the guide; a plurality of rings on the guide projecting radially outwardly thereof into the recess a distance greater than the distance between the guide and said inner surface of the body member measured at the sides of the recess, and cooperating with the wall of the recess to impart a tortuous characteristic to the flow passage, the walls of said recess being oppositely sloped obliquely t0 the length of the flow passage; and an annular rib formed upon the body member at one side of the recess and projecting radially inwardly of'the body member, said rib terminating adjacent the guide and being spaced therefrom a distance less than the distance the rings extend outwardly from the guide.

3. A bottle'stopper for rendering non-refillable a bottle having a neck, comprising: a tubular body member adapted to be fixedly secured to and within said neck and having one end portionformed with'a valve seat; a valve ball engaging against the seat in the upright position of the bottle and shifting off the seat when the bottle is in inverted position; a tubular guide extending longitudinally of and within the body member in concentric relation to the valve seat to receive the ball in the second bottle position, said guide being radially spaced throughout its length inwardly from the wall of the body member to define an annular flow passage therebetween, said guide having one end spaced longitudinally of the body member from the valve seat to form an inlet for said passage; a collar connected to and extending between the other end portions of the guide and body member respectively across said flow passage, thecollar being apertured to provide anoutlet for the passage; an'abutment within the guide engaging the ball in said secondbottle position, the body member having an inner surface formed intermediate said end portions of the body member with a deep, circumferentially extending recess opening toward References Cited in the file of this patent the guide; and a plurality of rings on the guide project- UNITED STATES PATENTS ing radially outwardly thereof into the recess a distance greater than the distance between the guide and said inner 623010 Greenhow 1899 surface of the body member measured at the sides of the 5 1,1773 9 1916 recess, and cooperating with the wall of the recess to 2378919 FSher June 1945 impart a tortuous characteristic to the flow passage, said FOREIGN PATENTS rings having top surfaces sloping downwardly, outwardly 18,680 Great Britain Oct 20) 1904 m h the rules ltwludmg p y, outwardly 242,056 Great Britain NW 5, 1925 pro ectlng circumferential lips at the outer edges of the 10 38784 France Apr 21, 1931 rings. 

